Source: Nonprofit

To learn more contact Michael at Introduction

CONTACT INFORMATION
Michael J Rutherford
Direct line: 562.706.3637

Michael Rutherford represents Heartland, a fortune 1000 company and their proven solutions. He is a pro-active, highly-qualified, and self-motivated professional with a history of cultivating and maintaining Win/Win relationships.

Michael provides services for merchants who want to talk about solutions for their business. It is Michael’s intention to understand your needs and recommend solutions that can assist with improving your operations, sales, and financial performance.

Source: Introduction

Expanding Business is my Business

Michael.Rutherford@e-hps.com

BUSINESS CONSULTING INTRODUCTION

Michael Rutherford started in the Restaurant business in 1977. Since 2000, Michael has been helping restaurants operate, market, and manage their assets more effectively with information technology solutions.  Michael’s resources and management consulting significantly improves the performance for his clients restaurants with increased efficiencies and net profits through automated SaaS business solutions.

Over the past 18 years, he has worked with over 600 clients, independent and chain restaurants with 10 to 5,000 employees.

He is one of three Global Partner Sales Manager’s for Benseron Information Technology, developing partnerships with ISO’s, Resellers, and White Label Partners. Michael co-founded Local Merchant Solutions in 2014, as a Consortium of local technologists to serve the SMB community. These resources help to deliver highly trained and experienced subject matter experts and independent contractors in your local area. These resources are available nationwide who are ready to determine and solve the specific problems and issues in your business.

michaelrutherford.com navigation artifacts and project links

• Professional Services
• Introduction
• About
• Contact

• References
• ePortfolios
• Blog Posts

Other navigation links Michael’s Social Websites

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Facebook
• YouTube
• Google +

• MEDIA KIT
• Merchant Bill of Rights
• Core Competencies
• Strategic Planning
• Managed Services
• Project Management /SaaS Deployments

WHITE LABELED PRIVATE SOCIAL NETWORKS
POWERED BY ACCREDITED PORTFOLIOS, LLC
A sophisticated social learning platform for professional development, performance improvement & capacity development.

FOR WHITE LABEL SALES CONTACT INFORMATION CLICK HERE

To learn more about Michael’s history for introducing kowledge-transfer enterprise solutions visit his [8] ePortfolio webpages below:

1. THE MILLENNIAL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
2. WEB 2.0 SOCIAL MODERN MENTORING PLATFORMS
3. Private Social Networks for Associations
4. Leadership and Developing Diversity
5. Tracking Education and Credentials
6. Technology Powered by Accredited Portfolios, LLC – Contents
7. Technology Powered by Accredited Portfolios, LLC – Video
8. The Millennial Workforce Development Community – Video

For more up-to-date Articles & Activity visit LinkedIn

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND STARTED IN 1985 (it really started back in 1976′-77′, at some point you stop counting)

1985 – Michael’s experience as a certified chef spans over a 7 year period shown in this video. He won several awards, medals and was a mentee under several highly skilled trained mentors. – Read More

ONLINE EXPERIENCE STARTED IN 1989 – THE 3 EXAMPLES EXPLAIN TIMELINE

1989 –
Michael’s first personal experience with the Internet started back in 89′ –
Read More

2000 –
Michael’s personal experience of automating the World of Commerce
Read More

2011 –
Michael’s personal experience of introducing the World of Web2.0 White Labled Private Social Networks. Read More

Other navigation links

• THE ULTIMATE REAL-ESTATE NETWORK SYSTEM / PERFORMING BEST PRACTICES ONLINE BACK IN THE 80’S
• Certified Chef /Experience Matters – Video

For background information visit: Domain Knowledge Matters

TURN KEY SOLUTION

The eCommerce is an ever changing environment as service providers use big data to create ways of buying & selling for seamless integration to digital media & social platforms.

TODAY through the use of the Cloud we have developed Community-based Directories for implementing discount loyality programs.

Our services encompasses the design, scope and management when assisting Merchants witb digital content media.

Our customers based on our sit down interviews have shared their thoughts of the need for useful tools for restaurant managers to help to determine who are their ideal customer and what they enjoy.

“Create the best experience possible.”

Recruite more local buyers.

A merchant handing out a business card to every customer and letting them know they are available for these specific services goes a long way.

Imagine if more people shared this attitude.

Just ask Mike; “hand me a card”.

What is unique about this technology from your average free coupon app is:

You register as a member

You enter a 10 digit number assigned to your contact information

The consumer opts into the most awesome rewards marketing program that allows the consumer to search for rides and venues that offer incentives at their favorite restaurant, lounge and venue.

The App is real-time. Where each venue and taxi service can turn on or off the open or closed sign. It is like real-time billboard advertising on steroids.

The data allows different platforms and receivers (3rd party apps) to interface through an API.

SAVINGS CARDS
“Invest Locally – Buy from a locally owned business”

MY HOT PERKS

TRY IT!

Merchant Digital Marketing – Help Center, Web Services, Social Media and Email Marketing.

Visit the following link for information on the Features, Functions & Benefits: The Source CARD TECHNOLOGIES

BUSINESS CONSULTING INTRODUCTION

Does your Brand Communicate?
We manage online media, organize data, analytic tracking, commercial email advertising, SMS, media marketing, mobile marketing, web development, web hosting, web design, video creative and production. We also offer viral media, business branding, custom software services, PHP development, print media and new business strategies. We cover just about everything and work with all types of local businesses and startups who want to grow fast. We offer fortune 500’s ideas with the best solutions at the right price.

Talk with us, we have a solution for you

NETWORK
All advertising media solutions are turnkey programs for companies and resellers with complete plug and play applications that are up and running in a few days. We support your needs and the personalization of your identity.

For the most advance local solutions ask about our network marketing to get the most from your investment.

MEDIA CONCIERGE
Our concierge media service can assist and manage any arrangements for services that include TV, radio, PPC, billboard, magazine and print publications.

We do extensive research before we open up vendor negotiations with our media partners. We not only build strategies to benefit your outsource advertising investments, we do it right.

MANAGED DATA
Our advanced data verticals that allow us to target and market products or services, capture people of interest and obtain orders at a lower cost than traditional advertising.

Digital media with managed data creates complete accountability with tracking reports and a call to action movement for a higher ROI.

As a leader for sales, marketing, accounts, and project management we deployed 30 to 40 projects per month. The specific technology served the needs for process management, cash control, marketing, customer CRM tools, financial accounting, and labor scheduling, inventory, and order entry for product preparation. The enterprise solutions included modules for above store reporting, performance improvement and business intelligence.

The projects & deployments represented the following technology:

Web 2.0 – Performance improvement services
Web 2.0 – Resource management services
Enterprise – Business Intelligence services
Enterprise – Business process management services

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Be Inspired Read

Three Strategies for Achieving and Sustaining Growth

by: Bill Liabotis Issues: July / August 2007: Strategy.

STRATEGIC PLANNING 

25+ years of high-level strategic leadership experience to develop sales targets, goals, and expand an organizations customer base, fiscal revenue and profitability, budgeting processes and business best practices.

INVEST TIME TO LEARN & DETERMINE WHERE YOU ARE.

An accurate assessment of where your business is, conduct external and internal audits by experiencing the current processes on how you serve customers with their products & service needs. Time needed to get a clear understanding of the marketplace, the competitive landscape, environment & differences (strengths & weaknesses), and the organization and team’s competencies.

IDENTIFY WHAT’S IMPORTANT.

Focus on where you want to take the organization over time. This sets the direction of the enterprise over the long term and clearly defines the mission (markets, customers, products, etc.) and vision (conceptualization of what the organization’s future should or could be). From this analysis, we can determine the priority issues—those issues so significant to the overall well-being of the enterprise that they require the full and immediate attention of the entire management team. The strategic plan should focus on these issues.

DEFINE WHAT WE MUST ACHIEVE.

Define the expected objectives that clearly state what the organization must achieve to address the priority issues.

DETERMINE WHO IS ACCOUNTABLE.

This is how we are going to get to where we want to go. The strategies, action plans, and budgets are all steps in the process that effectively communicates how we will allocate time, human capital, and money to address the priority issues and achieve the defined objectives.

REVIEW. REVIEW. IT’S NOT OVER. IT’S NEVER OVER.

To ensure the plan performs as designed, we need to hold regularly scheduled formal reviews of the process and refine as necessary. When involving all managers suggesting at least once a quarter,

When managing each department or as in the sales operations team, preference is to manage weekly meetings – first thing Monday morning to kick off the week. These meetings last anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours periodically pending any special training or resources needed to move the sales forward that week, month or quarterly. They are to compare, contrast and manage actuals sales to ideal sales performance path plans.  If applicable, manage weekly Installation meetings where both the sales and technical service teams discuss each particular sold account contracts, expectations and deliverables to assure resources are in place.

ACHIEVING STEPS FOR GROWTH

THE STARTING POINT

The commitment of key employees at all levels, individuals who are willing to step forward and lead.

Strengthen the execution infrastructure by investing in proven Team know-how.

• Eliminating departmental silos by implementing transparency.
• Utilize leading key performance indicators and drivers that align with the strategy.
• Growing leaders at all levels – managerial and non-managerial for succession planning strategies.

Initiate a FOCUS Group process to identify and complete Team strategies with a high probability for success.

• Growing the core business
• Growing by sub-segmenting customers
• Growing adjacent opportunities

Begin the process by considering the growth potential within the present core business and/or the opportunities and growth potential associated with creating innovative value propositions for underserved customer groups. As the FOCUS Group moves through this process, it will become clear if and when adjacent growth options should be considered.

CUSTOMER-FOCUSED GROWTH STRATEGIES

Core Business and proportion of revenue and profits:

• Products
• Services 
• Customers
• Channels
• Geographic areas  

STRATEGY TO MEASURE

The overall performance of the core business

Benchmark profitability, rate of revenue growth and the service reputation

For example:

1. In what direction is each of these key indicators headed and why?
2. Who are and who are not the core customers? Why?
3. What is the firm’s key competitive market differentiator? How can it be strengthened?
4. Is the core business under major threat?
5. Are there attractive growth opportunities within the core?

Processes are created to help refocus on the core business – Define the number of market platforms on which the core business is based:

1. IT CONSULTING
2. HARDWARE & SOFTWARE
3. CLOUD SERVICES
4. PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
5. SERVICE & SUPPORT

Define and if necessary eliminate products and markets that don’t fit on these platforms, adding new products to augment the core and strengthen market coverage with significant investments in the major marketing channels for distribution.

1. Direct Sales
2. On-line digital media – website & social networks

STRATEGY TO ASSESS

The organizations existing customers

This strategy involves creating High Impact Value Propositions for new opportunities through existing customer relationships or new customer’s sub-segments. Underpinning this strategy is the willingness to view customers through a different set of lenses.

A process can be created to assist both managers and specialists at the customer interface gain fresh insights into customer needs and preferences. This is a necessary first step in discovering underserved customer groups and hidden growth opportunities. (Senior leaders who frequently interact with customers can make a significant contribution to this process.)

Key elements of this process include:

1. Sub-segmenting existing customer groups based on newly discovered needs, buying patterns and contribution to profits and/or revenue,
2. Creating innovative and high-impact value propositions for the most attractive sub-segments,
3. Field-testing the new value propositions and
4. Scaling-up based on the results of field tests.

In addition, choosing to focus on lower end customer sub-segments where these are usually a group of customers for which the cost of supplying and servicing exceeds the revenue the customer generates. In such cases, value propositions when using return on investments can be designed which will move the customer to a profitable position or at least minimize the losses. For example, direct sales calls can be replaced with web online ordering systems for supplies, product/service features that can be easily purchased through digital websites.

These actions not only lower the costs of serving customers but they often speed up the service for the customer. After the initial shock, many customers welcome the new value proposition. Many growing businesses often owe their success to delivering attractive value propositions to different customer sub-segments.

STRATEGY TO BUILD  

Strategic relationships and links to core adjacent businesses

When the core business is approaching its full potential, operates efficiently and generates surplus cash for reinvestment.

• Focus on current customers. A series of meetings with the most innovative customers can be a valuable source of opportunities. Alternative channels, new products or services or even new joint ventures may be suggested as well as entering new geographic markets, serving different customer segments and redesigning the customer’s value chain.

 Another alternative is to consider the non-core businesses of the organization. Is there the potential to leverage present positions into attractive growth opportunities?

•  When considering adjacent growth alternatives, the relationship to the core business requires special consideration – specifically an assessment of the major strategic differences and similarities with the core. Too many differences can overly tax the organization’s capabilities. To minimize this risk, the organization may wish to test their capacity by piloting adjacent growth initiatives in stages. 

• Adjacent growth options can be an opportunistic one-off. This often results in disappointment. Initial successes with one or two close customers can soon fade under the onslaught of strong established competitors. To prevent this, “organize to suit the new business as much as the core”.

 In the short term, adjacent growth initiatives that leverage a strong position with existing core customers have a higher probability of success. The alternative of expanding into new geographic markets provides the advantage of building a larger customer base, but often at the cost of a longer payback period and higher risk.

EXECUTING GROWTH STRATEGIES

The strategies to Measure, Assess and Build described above require a supporting infrastructure to increase the chances of successful implementation. It is important to have an adequate infrastructure to achieve these growth objectives.

 A supportive infrastructure includes:

1. Organization capabilities that are valued by customers.
2. A management-performance system scorecard which focuses on leading key performance indicators and the drivers of growth.
3. Strong leadership best practices at every level of the organization.

CAPABILITIES & PROCESSES

Strategic and deliver a high level of value to customers

 For example:

1. Successfully entering new markets.
2. Create excellent new products or services which appeal to customers.
3. Provide an outstanding level of customer service.

Each of these capabilities is rooted in processes that move across the organization and require the expertise and commitment of various individuals and departments.

Strategic positioning requires the team to Measure, Assess and Build to clarify and continually strengthen the organization’s strategic capabilities. An important aspect of clarifying and assessing process is to step outside the organization and evaluate both the companies and the competitors’ through the eyes, mind and heart of the customer. Success is rooted in the competitive-edge and organizational capabilities.

The following guidelines will help with such an assessment.

The capability should be:

1. Highly visible to key individuals within the customer organization, and acknowledged as providing exceptional value.
2. Difficult for present and potential competitors to replicate.

As an example, the capability to provide an outstanding level of customer service in a manner that would make it difficult for competitors to replicate. In order to provide such a high level of customer service, employees from different departments (not only the Customer Service Department) must be involved in service delivery.

• Employees throughout the organization should connect quickly and collaborate willingly. Collectively, relevant information and insights about customers and product or service delivery must be shared.

• The high level of cross-departmental collaboration can prove challenging, particularly those with rigid vertical structures. Such structures make it difficult for employees to adapt and respond to special customer service requirements. *Note that under these conditions, an employee’s loyalty often shifts from the company to their department or profession.

• Delivering a superior level of customer value requires uninterrupted flow across the organization. Eliminating barriers to flow – breaking down departmental silos- is necessary to build organizations strategic capabilities, regardless of the specific capability.

BUILDING STRATEGIC DIFFERENTIATING CAPABILITIES

How difficult should it be for a competitor to replicate a best practice?

•  It should be very difficult! The organization capabilities are the key elements of the business strategy continually building and leveraging the organizations’ capabilities to drive new business growth.

•  Performance management processes, software and systems provide the capabilities to track, manage, support, and coach individuals, teams and partnership through scorecards. (Note: A Performance Management system provides the accountability and in many cases the transparency of “what gets measured gets done”.)

THE PROCESS STARTS BY ANSWERING THE QUESTION, WHAT SHOULD BE MEASURED AND WHY?

The following guidelines help answer this question.

1. Scorecards depict key strategic relationships, particularly between the desired performance outcomes such as revenue and profit growth and the drivers of performance (e.g. new market entry, service quality, customer loyalty, and employee engagement).
2. Performance of both individuals and departments is directly linked to the growth strategy and successful execution.
3. Company scorecards should provide a balanced perspective based on the needs of key stakeholder groups and/or major organizational processes – internal operations, value provided to customers and employee development.

Let’s assume that the overall strategy of the company is to grow the core business and that growth will be achieved through increased market penetration of existing products. What are the drivers of growth that must be measured, monitored and managed?

This question is best answered by those directly involved.

Precise measurements are not always possible but proxy indicators established in a thoughtful and open manner are. Let’s assume that increased market penetration will be driven by the strength of the company’s brand and customer loyalty.

1. What drives customer loyalty and brand strength?
2. Is it the quality of service provided, the reputation of the sales staff or the depth of knowledge of the customers’ business and requirements?

When there is confidence that the above questions have been answered, the process shifts to:

1. How and when will performance be measured,
2. How will those directly responsible access the performance measurement and
3. What follow-up action, if any, is necessary?

Performance Management System based on the processes described

A brief description of the approach:

Company utilizes performance-based scorecards to link execution with overall business strategy. The performance-based scorecard is aligned with major support teams, workgroups & partnerships:

1. Customers
2. Employees
3. Vendors
4. Communities

The focus is on measuring and monitoring leading key performance indicators for example:

1. The drivers of customer loyalty
2. Employee engagement
3. Financial results

Considerable input from many expert resources are solicited & collaborated before these measures are set and appropriate action undertaken to continually improve performance.

A key ingredient of a supportive infrastructure is Leadership 

• Who are the leaders and what do they do? Leaders throughout the organization, who influence, coach and develop the attitudes and actions of colleagues.
• Organizations should consider all employees’ potential mentors, making everyone both advisors and learners.
• As such, they help colleagues understand the many why’s of organizational life. 

For example:

1. Why the organization must perform at a high level in the increasingly competitive and global business environment.
2. Why barriers to cross-departmental collaboration are harmful and weaken the organization’s ability to adapt.
3. Why, when a colleague’s performance appears to fall short, it may be preferable to view this as an opportunity for learning and professional development rather than expulsion from the organization.
4. Why the ultimate success of the organization is rooted in its ability to continually be innovative in delivering value to customers. 

WHEN GROWING AN ORGANIZATION OF LEADERS

All employees’ are potential leaders & mentors, who are found at all levels in the organization, including, non-titled, non-managerial positions. They are best identified by their behaviors and influence rather than the hierarchical position. Together, such leaders create a network that reflects the very essence of the organization – ‘who we are, where we’re going and how we’ll get there’.

• Companies owe their success to being able to recognize that the organization is a lab for leadership development. The process of leadership development starts with an assessment of an individual’s emotional intelligence. Hands-on learning experiences with one-on-one mentoring & team coaching are vital elements of the process. 

• Senior leaders ultimately set the overall direction and create conditions that encourage others to join in and lead – particularly with respect to executing the strategy. 

• The expectation that all employees should exhibit leadership behaviors. With persistence, the growing network of leaders will tip the scales as other members of the organization from every level and in every role join in and commit. 

• When employees share identical values with the values of the company founder and connect at a very basic level with the organization’s core business strategy, it can be expected that each employee will step forward and lead. 

The process of expanding the organization’s leadership mindset and behaviors. 

1. Teaching employees how to think like a business person.
2. Provide all employees access to information & tools to perform job.
3. Employees at all levels and in every role receive performance-related information and discuss how to solve problems and capitalize on opportunities.
4. These beliefs are continuously demonstrated at well-attended regular scheduled meetings.
5. Diligent efforts are made to make all employees feel they have vested interest as a company owner.

Be Inspired Read

Three Strategies for Achieving and Sustaining Growth

by: Bill Liabotis Issues: July / August 2007: Strategy.

CUSTOMERS LOGO ACQUISITIONS

Maximized Customers return on investment

2003 hired by Jadeon, Inc. VAR of Aloha, as a reseller with less than 10 employees, we grew to 100 by year 4 then acquired. 

2004 Radiant Systems acquires Aloha Technologies for $45 MM. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20031215005459/en/Radiant-Systems-to-Acquire-Aloha-Technologies

2008 Radiant Systems acquires Jadeon Inc. for $7 MM Innuity Receives $7.0 Million For Sale of Jadeon POS Resale Division | Business Wire https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20080506005497/en/Innuity-Receives-7.0-Million-For-Sale-of-Jadeon-POS-Resale-Division

[https://last10k.com/sec-filings/1103645]

2011 NCR acquires Radiant Systems for $1.2 BB. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiant_Systems?wprov=sfla1

SaaS & PaaS Solutions. 

There are over 1 Million restaurants in the United States. Over the years leading-edge technology point-of-sale systems has served SMB and restaurant groups providing technology innovation that moved us to Software-as-a-Service cloud computing. 

Division responsibility included managing sales, service, and support 5,800 locations i.e from independent, groups, supersites,  and chains to Johnny Rockets Corp, Tilted Kilt, Jamba Juice, Peets Coffee, Red Robin, and Yard House. The reseller channel sold over 100,000 chain and SMB restaurants, and  sports and entertainment globally. 

PRODUCT & SERVICES

HARDWARE SERVICES 

• Microsoft Exchange Servers
• Dell Optiplex 9020 /SQL Server
• RAID – Back-up
• MS Cash Drawer
• Epson TM-U220 Printer
• Epson TM-T88V Printer
• IBM
• Panasonic
• Sharp
• Posiflex
• Par Technologies
• Radiant Systems
• NCR P1230
• NCR P1530
• NCR P1515 Terminal

SOFTWARE SERVICES 

• Aloha QSR/TS POS
• MenuLink BOA.NET
• Super sites for large game and entertainment venues
• Insight Enterprise – Cloud
• Web online ordering systems
• Configuration Center
• Aloha Kitchen
• Reservation Floor Management
• Restaurant Guard (Security software)
• Loyalty Rewards
• Gift Cards

CREDIT CARD PROCESSING SERVICES 

PERIPHERAL DEVICES

• Scanners
• Digital cameras
• Video cameras
• Security systems
• Handhelds
• Tablets
• Access Points
• SonicWall/Firewalls
• Network Cabling

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Our professional services offers the technical expertise and industry experience to provide the highest level of service and support.

MANAGED SERVICES  

We eliminate installation problems, by consulting and selling subscription-based Managed Services.

0ur call center help desk is additional. 

SYSTEM MAINTENANCE SERVICES

SERVICE ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT  

Single point of contact for key accounts. We grew our business by assisting our customers with their growth.

HELP DESK

We resolved our customer’s issues quickly from a single point of contact. Our Help Desk call center is on call 24x7x365 with a highly-experienced team of passionate professionals to troubleshoot system issues to resolution.

Reprinted from “The Value-Added Employee,” by Edward J. Cripe and Richard S. Mansfield, Copyright 2002 by Workitect Inc.

A summarized list of the 31 competencies listed by “cluster” (similar competencies related to a common skill set). Each competency includes a definition and the observable behaviors that may indicate the existence of a competency in a person.

Competencies Dealing with People

The Leading Others Cluster

1. Establishing Focus: The ability to develop and communicate goals in support of the business’ mission.

• Acts to align own unit’s goals with the strategic direction of the business.
• Ensures that people in the unit understand how their work relates to the business’ mission.
• Ensures that everyone understands and identifies with the unit’s mission.
• Ensures that the unit develops goals and a plan to help fulfill the business’ mission.

2. Providing Motivational Support: The ability to enhance others’ commitment to their work.

• Recognizes and rewards people for their achievements.
• Acknowledges and thanks people for their contributions.
• Expresses pride in the group and encourages people to feel good about their accomplishments.
• Finds creative ways to make people’s work rewarding.
• Signals own commitment to a process by being personally present and involved at key events.
• Identifies and promptly tackles morale problems.
• Gives talks or presentations that energize groups.

3. Fostering Teamwork: As a team member, the ability and desire to work cooperatively with others on a team; as a team leader, the ability to demonstrate interest, skill, and success in getting groups to learn to work together.

Behaviors for Team Members

• Listens and responds constructively to other team members’ ideas.
• Offers support for others’ ideas and proposals.
• Is open with other team members about his/her concerns.
• Expresses disagreement constructively (e.g., by emphasizing points of agreement, suggesting alternatives that may be acceptable to the group).
• Reinforces team members for their contributions.
• Gives honest and constructive feedback to other team members.
• Provides assistance to others when they need it.
• Works for solutions that all team members can support.
• Shares his/her expertise with others.
• Seeks opportunities to work on teams as a means to develop experience, and knowledge.
• Provides assistance, information, or other support to others, to build or maintain relationships with them.

Behaviors for Team Leaders

• Provides opportunities for people to learn to work together as a team.
• Enlists the active participation of everyone.
• Promotes cooperation with other work units.
• Ensures that all team members are treated fairly.
• Recognizes and encourages the behaviors that contribute to teamwork.

4. Empowering Others: The ability to convey confidence in employees’ ability to be successful, especially at challenging new tasks; delegating significant responsibility and authority; allowing employees freedom to decide how they will accomplish their goals and resolve issues.

• Gives people latitude to make decisions in their own sphere of work.
• Is able to let others make decisions and take charge.
• Encourages individuals and groups to set their own goals, consistent with business goals.
• Expresses confidence in the ability of others to be successful.
• Encourages groups to resolve problems on their own; avoids prescribing a solution.

5. Managing Change: The ability to demonstrate support for innovation and for organizational changes needed to improve the organization’s effectiveness; initiating, sponsoring, and implementing organizational change; helping others to successfully manage organizational change.

Employee Behaviors

• Personally develops a new method or approach.
• Proposes new approaches, methods, or technologies.
• Develops better, faster, or less expensive ways to do things.

Manager/Leader Behaviors

• Works cooperatively with others to produce innovative solutions.
• Takes the lead in setting new business directions, partnerships, policies or procedures.
• Seizes opportunities to influence the future direction of an organizational unit or the overall business.
• Helps employees to develop a clear understanding of what they will need to do differently, as a result of changes in the organization.
• Implements or supports various change management activities (e.g., communications, education, team development, coaching).
• Establishes structures and processes to plan and manage the orderly implementation of change.
• Helps individuals and groups manage the anxiety associated with significant change.
• Facilitates groups or teams through the problem-solving and creative-thinking processes leading to the development and implementation of new approaches, systems, structures, and methods.

6. Developing Others: The ability to delegate responsibility and to work with others and coach them to develop their capabilities.

• Provides helpful, behaviorally specific feedback to others.
• Shares information, advice, and suggestions to help others to be more successful; provides effective coaching.
• Gives people assignments that will help develop their abilities.
• Regularly meets with employees to review their development progress.
• Recognizes and reinforces people’s developmental efforts and improvements.
• Expresses confidence in others’ ability to be successful.

7. Managing Performance: The ability to take responsibility for one’s own or one’s employees’ performance, by setting clear goals and expectations, tracking progress against the goals, ensuring feedback, and addressing performance problems and issues promptly.

Behaviors for employees

• With his/her manager, sets specific, measurable goals that are realistic but challenging, with dates for accomplishment.
• With his/her manager, clarifies expectations about what will be done and how.
• Enlists his/her manager’s support in obtaining the information, resources, and training needed to accomplish his/her work effectively.
• Promptly notifies his/her manager about any problems that affect his/her ability to accomplish planned goals.
• Seeks performance feedback from his/her manager and from others with whom he/she interacts on the job.
• Prepares a personal development plan with specific goals and a timeline for their accomplishment.
• Takes significant action to develop skills needed for effectiveness in current or future job.

Behaviors for managers

• Ensures that employees have clear goals and responsibilities.
• Works with employees to set and communicate performance standards that are specific and measurable.
• Supports employees in their efforts to achieve job goals (e.g., by providing resources, removing obstacles, acting as a buffer).
• Stays informed about employees’ progress and performance through both formal methods (e.g., status reports) and informal methods (e.g., management by walking around).
• Provides specific performance feedback, both positive and corrective, as soon as possible after an event.
• Deals firmly and promptly with performance problems; lets people know what is expected of them and when.

Communication and Influencing Cluster

8. Attention to Communication: The ability to ensure that information is passed on to others who should be kept informed.

• Ensures that others involved in a project or effort are kept informed about developments and plans.
• Ensures that important information from his/her management is shared with his/her employees and others as appropriate.
• Shares ideas and information with others who might find them useful.
• Uses multiple channels or means to communicate important messages (e.g., memos, newsletters, meetings, electronic mail).
• Keeps his/her manager informed about progress and problems; avoids surprises.
• Ensures that regular, consistent communication takes place.

9. Oral Communication: The ability to express oneself clearly in conversations and interactions with others.

• Speaks clearly and can be easily understood.
• Tailors the content of speech to the level and experience of the audience.
• Uses appropriate grammar and choice of words in oral speech.
• Organizes ideas clearly in oral speech.
• Expresses ideas concisely in oral speech.
• Maintains eye contact when speaking with others.
• Summarizes or paraphrases his/her understanding of what others have said to verify understanding and prevent miscommunication.

10. Written Communication: The ability to express oneself clearly in business writing.

• Expresses ideas clearly and concisely in writing.
• Organizes written ideas clearly and signals the organization to the reader (e.g., through an introductory paragraph or through use of headings).
• Tailors written communications to effectively reach an audience.
• Uses graphics and other aids to clarify complex or technical information.
• Spells correctly.
• Writes using concrete, specific language.
• Uses punctuation correctly.
• Writes grammatically.
• Uses an appropriate business writing style.

11. Persuasive Communication: The ability to plan and deliver oral and written communications that make an impact and persuade their intended audiences.

• Identifies and presents information or data that will have a strong effect on others.
• Selects language and examples tailored to the level and experience of the audience.
• Selects stories, analogies, or examples to illustrate a point.
• Creates graphics, overheads, or slides that display information clearly and with high impact.
• Presents several different arguments in support of a position.

12. Interpersonal Awareness: The ability to notice, interpret, and anticipate others’ concerns and feelings, and to communicate this awareness empathetically to others.

• Understands the interests and important concerns of others.
• Notices and accurately interprets what others are feeling, based on their choice of words, tone of voice, expressions, and other nonverbal behavior.
• Anticipates how others will react to a situation.
• Listens attentively to people’s ideas and concerns.
• Understands both the strengths and weaknesses of others.
• Understands the unspoken meaning in a situation.
• Says or does things to address others’ concerns.
• Finds non-threatening ways to approach others about sensitive issues.
• Makes others feel comfortable by responding in ways that convey interest in what they have to say.

13. Influencing Others: The ability to gain others’ support for ideas, proposals, projects, and solutions.

• Presents arguments that address others’ most important concerns and issues and looks for win-win solutions.
• Involves others in a process or decision to ensure their support.
• Offers trade-offs or exchanges to gain commitment.
• Identifies and proposes solutions that benefit all parties involved in a situation.
• Enlists experts or third parties to influence others.
• Develops other indirect strategies to influence others.
• Knows when to escalate critical issues to own or others’ management, if own efforts to enlist support have not succeeded.
• Structures situations (e.g., the setting, persons present, sequence of events) to create a desired impact and to maximize the chances of a favorable outcome.
• Works to make a particular impression on others.
• Identifies and targets influence efforts at the real decision makers and those who can influence them.
• Seeks out and builds relationships with others who can provide information, intelligence, career support, potential business, and other forms of help.
• Takes a personal interest in others (e.g., by asking about their concerns, interests, family, friends, hobbies) to develop relationships.
• Accurately anticipates the implications of events or decisions for various stakeholders in the organization and plans strategy accordingly.

14. Building Collaborative Relationships: The ability to develop, maintain, and strengthen partnerships with others inside or outside the organization who can provide information, assistance, and support.

• Asks about the other person’s personal experiences, interests, and family.
• Asks questions to identify shared interest, experiences, or other common ground.
• Shows an interest in what others have to say; acknowledges their perspectives and ideas.
• Recognizes the business concerns and perspectives of others.
• Expresses gratitude and appreciation to others who have provided information, assistance, or support.
• Takes time to get to know coworkers, to build rapport and establish a common bond.
• Tries to build relationships with people whose assistance, cooperation, and support may be needed.
• Provides assistance, information, and support to others to build a basis for future reciprocity.

15. Customer Orientation: The ability to demonstrate concern for satisfying one’s external and/or internal customers.

• Quickly and effectively solves customer problems.
• Talks to customers (internal or external) to find out what they want and how satisfied they are with what they are getting.
• Lets customers know he/she is willing to work with them to meet their needs.
• Finds ways to measure and track customer satisfaction.
• Presents a cheerful, positive manner with customers.

Competencies Dealing with Business

The Preventing and Solving Problems Cluster

16. Diagnostic Information Gathering: The ability to identify the information needed to clarify a situation, seek that information from appropriate sources, and use skillful questioning to draw out the information, when others are reluctant to disclose it

• Identifies the specific information needed to clarify a situation or to make a decision.
• Gets more complete and accurate information by checking multiple sources.
• Probes skillfully to get at the facts, when others are reluctant to provide full, detailed information.
• Routinely walks around to see how people are doing and to hear about any problems they are encountering.
• Questions others to assess whether they have thought through a plan of action.
• Questions others to assess their confidence in solving a problem or tackling a situation.
• Asks questions to clarify a situation.
• Seeks the perspective of everyone involved in a situation.
• Seeks out knowledgeable people to obtain information or clarify a problem.

17. Analytical Thinking: The ability to tackle a problem by using a logical, systematic, sequential approach.

• Makes a systematic comparison of two or more alternatives.
• Notices discrepancies and inconsistencies in available information.
• Identifies a set of features, parameters, or considerations to take into account, in analyzing a situation or making a decision.
• Approaches a complex task or problem by breaking it down into its component parts and considering each part in detail.
• Weighs the costs, benefits, risks, and chances for success, in making a decision.
• Identifies many possible causes for a problem.
• Carefully weighs the priority of things to be done.

18. Forward Thinking: The ability to anticipate the implications and consequences of situations and take appropriate action to be prepared for possible contingencies.

• Anticipates possible problems and develops contingency plans in advance.
• Notices trends in the industry or marketplace and develops plans to prepare for opportunities or problems.
• Anticipates the consequences of situations and plans accordingly.
• Anticipates how individuals and groups will react to situations and information and plans accordingly.

19. Conceptual Thinking: The ability to find effective solutions by taking a holistic, abstract, or theoretical perspective.

• Notices similarities between different and apparently unrelated situations.
• Quickly identifies the central or underlying issues in a complex situation.
• Creates a graphic diagram showing a systems view of a situation.
• Develops analogies or metaphors to explain a situation.
• Applies a theoretical framework to understand a specific situation.

20. Strategic Thinking: The ability to analyze the organization’s competitive position by considering market and industry trends, existing and potential customers (internal and external), and strengths and weaknesses as compared to competitors.

• Understands the organization’s strengths and weaknesses as compared to competitors.
• Understands industry and market trends affecting the organization’s competitiveness.
• Has an in-depth understanding of competitive products and services within the marketplace.
• Develops and proposes a long-term (3-5 year) strategy for the organization based on an analysis of the industry and marketplace and the organization’s current and potential capabilities as compared to competitors.

21. Technical Expertise: The ability to demonstrate depth of knowledge and skill in a technical
    area.

• Effectively applies technical knowledge to solve a range of problems.
• Possesses an in-depth knowledge and skill in a technical area.
• Develops technical solutions to new or highly complex problems that cannot be solved using existing methods or approaches.
• Is sought out as an expert to provide advice or solutions in his/her technical area.
• Keeps informed about cutting-edge technology in his/her technical area.

The Achieving Results Cluster

22. Initiative: Identifying what needs to be done and doing it before being asked or before the situation requires it.

• Identifying what needs to be done and takes action before being asked or the situation requires it.
• Does more than what is normally required in a situation.
• Seeks out others involved in a situation to learn their perspectives.
• Takes independent action to change the direction of events.

23. Entrepreneurial Orientation: The ability to look for and seize profitable business opportunities; willingness to take calculated risks to achieve business goals.

• Notices and seizes profitable business opportunities.
• Stays abreast of business, industry, and market information that may reveal business opportunities.
• Demonstrates willingness to take calculated risks to achieve business goals.
• Proposes innovative business deals to potential customers, suppliers, and business partners.
• Encourages and supports entrepreneurial behavior in others.

24. Fostering Innovation: The ability to develop, sponsor, or support the introduction of new and improved method, products, procedures, or technologies.

• Personally develops a new product or service.
• Personally develops a new method or approach.
• Sponsors the development of new products, services, methods, or procedures.
• Proposes new approaches, methods, or technologies.
• Develops better, faster, or less expensive ways to do things.
• Works cooperatively with others to produce innovative solutions.

25. Results Orientation: The ability to focus on the desired result of one’s own or one’s unit’s work, setting challenging goals, focusing effort on the goals, and meeting or exceeding them.

• Develops challenging but achievable goals.
• Develops clear goals for meetings and projects.
• Maintains commitment to goals in the face of obstacles and frustrations.
• Finds or creates ways to measure performance against goals.
• Exerts unusual effort over time to achieve a goal.
• Has a strong sense of urgency about solving problems and getting work done.

26. Thoroughness: Ensuring that one’s own and others’ work and information are complete and accurate; carefully preparing for meetings and presentations; following up with others to ensure that agreements and commitments have been fulfilled.

• Sets up procedures to ensure high quality of work (e.g., review meetings).
• Monitors the quality of work.
• Verifies information.
• Checks the accuracy of own and others’ work.
• Develops and uses systems to organize and keep track of information or work progress.
• Carefully prepares for meetings and presentations.
• Organizes information or materials for others.
• Carefully reviews and checks the accuracy of information in work reports (e.g., production, sales, financial performance) provided by management, management information systems, or other individuals and groups.

27. Decisiveness: The ability to make difficult decisions in a timely manner.

• Is willing to make decisions in difficult or ambiguous situations, when time is critical.
• Takes charge of a group when it is necessary to facilitate change, overcome an impasse, face issues, or ensure that decisions are made.
• Makes tough decisions (e.g., closing a facility, reducing staff, accepting or rejecting a high-stakes deal).

Self-Management Competencies

28. Self Confidence: Faith in one’s own ideas and capability to be successful; willingness to take an independent position in the face of opposition.

• Is confident of own ability to accomplish goals.
• Presents self crisply and impressively.
• Is willing to speak up to the right person or group at the right time, when he/she disagrees with a decision or strategy.
• Approaches challenging tasks with a “can-do” attitude.

29. Stress Management: The ability to keep functioning effectively when under pressure and maintain self control in the face of hostility or provocation.

• Remains calm under stress.
• Can effectively handle several problems or tasks at once.
• Controls his/her response when criticized, attacked or provoked.
• Maintains a sense of humor under difficult circumstances.
• Manages own behavior to prevent or reduce feelings of stress.

30. Personal Credibility: Demonstrated concern that one be perceived as responsible, reliable, and trustworthy.

• Does what he/she commits to doing.
• Respects the confidentiality of information or concerns shared by others.
• Is honest and forthright with people.
• Carries his/her fair share of the workload.
• Takes responsibility for own mistakes; does not blame others.
• Conveys a command of the relevant facts and information.

31. Flexibility: Openness to different and new ways of doing things; willingness to modify one’s preferred way of doing things.

• Is able to see the merits of perspectives other than his/her own.
• Demonstrates openness to new organizational structures, procedures, and technology.
• Switches to a different strategy when an initially selected one is unsuccessful.
• Demonstrates willingness to modify a strongly held position in the face of contrary evidence.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY – Tools and Support for the Workforce, Talent Management and Performance Improvement.

The Technology offers expert guidance, processes and tools that support talent management to increase retention, support progression planning, professional development, job assignments and performance management. By focusing on evidence of skill, expertise and performance, using electronic portfolios, the Web 2.0 technology platform can help your organization easily and efficiently focus on individuals and groups to meet your organization’s needs and impact bottom line results.

Connect subject matter experts as mentoring guidance counselors, resources, processes and tools that support talent management. … supporting competency-based education for career development. Review the Executive Summaries & Tools to support the Workforce, Talent Management and Performance Improvement needed for the 21st Century.

Source details: Technology Powered for Leadership Connect

In June of 1987, as a General Manager of the Best Western Airport Inn in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. As the innkeeper, the property was one of the first to purchase and install a PC-based point-of-sale & property management system in the country, later would develop career around software to work for Radiant Systems (acquired by NCR for $1.2 BB). Selling and supporting professional solutions to small medium sized businesses and national chains being a part of automating the Hospitality and Retail Industry.

I managed to find a second use for the property by negotiating a contract with the Chancellor of Southern University to develop the property as an extension to fix the housing shortage. The property had a footprint to serve both the public travel industry and house (room & board) up to 300 college students each semester yearly.  The demand for rooms and food services 100% occupancy.

I took interest in a Ultimate Real-Estate Network System T.U.R.N.S., We developed a software subscription model to work in conjunction with the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) to provide the service offerings to the members of the National Association of Realtors. This would later set a path into technology solution sales, marketing and consulting full-time.

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Source details: THE ULTIMATE REAL-ESTATE NETWORK SYSTEM / PERFORMING BEST PRACTICES ONLINE BACK IN THE 80’S